A Partnership Project: Building Innovative Distance Learning Mathematics Courses for High School Teachers

This partnership between the University of Virginia's Department of Mathematics and the public school divisions of Bristol City and Roanoke City will develop a set of three innovative distance learning mathematics courses. These courses will strengthen the mathematical content knowledge of 40 mathematics teachers in the participating high needs schools, while providing opportunities for these teachers to work on strengthening their individual teaching and on better aligning their school's teaching with their curriculum and school needs.

The courses to be developed; Discrete Mathematics, the History of Mathematics and Mathematics Lesson Study; will be offered during the 2006-2007 school years through video conferencing to 40 high school mathematics teachers in and around Bristol and Roanoke. Concurrently with each course the teachers will participate in monthly on-line mathematical discussions where they will make connections and develop lessons for their classroom teaching. Participants will attend a two day Introductory Session in June 2006 where they will be introduced to the technology to be used in the classes and will attend a three day follow-up institute in July 2007 that will treat dissemination activities, curriculum development focusing on special needs students, and End of Year tests.